Memory Device For A Cellular Telephone

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for activating a cellular telephone within a cellular telecommunications network. A PCMCIA card interacts with a controller to display required programming information and questions. A user of the cellular telephone inputs responses to questions on a display. The user responses are transmitted to a system administrator at a customer activation center via a mobile telephone switching office in the cellular telecommunications network. The system administrator provides any necessary information for activating the cellular telephone. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a personal computer is connected to cellular telephone and the PCMCIA card is connected to the personal computer. Information for the user may be shown on either the display of the cellular telephone or on a display of the personal computer. The user may input information and responses to questions via a user input device provided as part of the display or as part of the personal computer. User input is provided to the cellular telephone to activate and program the cellular telephone for operation on the cellular telecommunications network.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/977,920 filed Oct. 29, 2004, the contents of which are incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/083,452 filed May 22, 1998, now U.S. Pat.No. 6,819,916, the contents of which are incorporated by referenceherein in their entirety, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 08/472,633 filed Jun. 7, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No.5,812,953, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein intheir entirety, and which is a divisional of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 08/156,514 filed Nov. 23, 1993, now abandoned, the contents ofwhich are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is an apparatus for activation of a cellulartelephone on a cellular telecommunications network, and morespecifically is a cellular telephone which accepts a personal computermemory card international association (PCMCIA) card preprogrammed withinstructions and questions that guide a user through applying forcellular service, programming and activation of the cellular telephone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, public use of wireless communication devices hasincreased greatly. Specifically, the purchase and use of cellulartelephones has become commonplace.

Cellular telephones are typically either independently powered hand-heldunits or are mounted in vehicles. Cellular telephones operate within agovernment defined frequency range. In recent years, cellular telephoneshave been manufactured with operating features identical to those foundin conventional telephones. Such operating features include storage andrecall of numbers in memory, voice mail and call blocking.

Furthermore, very recent cellular telephones have become moreintelligent, resembling computers in some aspects. For example, in U.S.Pat. No. 4,868,846, issued to Kemmpi, a cellular telephone is locked sothat it may only be used by a bearer of a specific programming card. InU.S. Pat. No. 5,220,593, issued to Zicker et al., a system for using acellular telephone as a credit card paystation is set forth.Additionally, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,821, issued to Bishop, an equipmentrental system which utilizes a cellular mobile telephone connected to acredit card reader to exchange information required in rentaltransactions is disclosed. Finally, in Europe, the Global System forMobile communications (GSM) uses a “smart-card”. The smart-card containsinformation regarding the user in memory and serves as the intelligenceof a cellular telephone into which the card is inserted.

A product recently sold in the United States is the Newton by AppleComputer Corp. The Newton is one of a line of products called personaldigital assistants (PDAs) that have features such as, for example,handwriting capture devices, and fax/modem devices.

The combination of a computer and a cellular telephone is very powerful.For example, the ability to communicate files, electronic mail and voicewith other computers or telephones from anywhere is a convenient anduseful tool.

Cellular telephones provide this communication path with othertelephones and computers through what are called Mobile TelephoneSwitching Office(s) (MTSO) and cell sites. Each cell site has atransmitter and receiver to provide communications, such as voice anddata, with a cellular telephone while that cellular telephone is in itsgeographic domain. As is familiar to those skilled in the art, the MTSOtracks and switches a cellular telephone from cell site to cell site asit passes through various cell sites. The cell site sends voice and/ordata communications from the cellular telephone to the MTSO, whichswitches the call to a destination in a manner well known to thoseskilled in the art. The connection between cell sites and a MTSO may bewireless or hard-wired. The plurality of MTSOs and cell sites togetherform a cellular telecommunications network.

A cellular telephone is monitored, tracked and serviced by the MTSO thatcontrols the cell within which the cellular telephone is physicallylocated. When a cellular telephone physically passes from one cell toanother cell, the MTSO for the corresponding cells performs a “hand-off”that allows the cellular telephone to be continually serviced. Likewise,in some cellular telecommunications networks, a cellular telephone canbe handed-off when it passes from the domain of a first MTSO into thedomain of a second MTSO.

Because of their mobility, devices incorporating cellular telephonesmust be light and compact. A user needs to be able to comfortably carrythe cellular telephone in a pocket, purse or briefcase. To meet theserequirements, cellular telephones typically have a minimum number ofuser input and display output devices. Limitation of user input anddisplay output devices reduces the size and weight of cellulartelephones. For example, it is common for a cellular telephone to haveonly a liquid crystal display (LCD), a numeric keypad, a very limitednumber of control buttons, such as a clear/end button, a send button anda power button. A personal digital assistant incorporating a cellulartelephone might include a touch sensitive or pen-based screen inaddition to the above list of user-interface devices.

As can be gathered from the above, cellular telephones are complex andexpensive units. The complexity of cellular telephones is reflected inthe time and expertise required for initiating operation of a cellulartelephone on a cellular telecommunications network. The limited userinput and display output devices in cellular telephones preclude thetypical end user from programming the cellular telephone.

In the past, the needs to provide a trained individual to initiateoperation of the cellular telephone on the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork, to ensure the credit-worthiness of the user, and to provide theuser with options regarding programming and use of the cellulartelephone, such as rate and payment plan options, have converged into asingle solution. Specifically, a “sales representative” or “customerservice representative” was employed to:

-   -   (1) gather personal and financial information pertaining to the        user,    -   (2) initiate a credit check on the user,    -   (3) present and explain options concerning custom call features        and enhanced service options, such as call waiting, and rate and        payment plans,    -   (4) accept a deposit from the user,    -   (5) contact a system administrator in a customer activation        center to activate the cellular telephone in the cellular        telecommunications network, and    -   (6) program the cellular telephone or arrange for a technician        to program the cellular telephone.

Until now, the sales representative or customer service representativehad to quiz the user regarding various personal and financialinformation, fill out forms regarding the user, send this information tothe system administrator for the cellular telecommunications network,await a response from the administrator in the customer activationcenter (CAC), and program the cellular telephone or arrange forprogramming of the telephone by a technician.

Typically, the provider of services on the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork pays a commission to its distribution channels for finding acustomer and for performing these tasks. Distribution channels arefamiliar to those in the cellular industry field, including salesagents, retailers, etc. It typically requires at least thirty minutesfor a customer service representative to sign up a new customer and getthe cellular telephone activated and programmed. Retailers charge a verylarge commission for the provision of these services by their employees.Therefore, a large expense incurred in the provision of cellularservices to users is directly attributable to commissions paid tocustomer service representatives.

There has been an attempt to facilitate and expedite the provision ofcellular telephones and services to users. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,368,issued to Parker, a customer service representative logs onto a systemcomprising a terminal connected via a standard data communications linkto a “regional processor” that is dedicated to activating cellulartelephones. The customer service representative enters an ID number andother information necessary to access the system. The customer servicerepresentative inputs the user's social security number to a regionalprocessor which derives information about the customer based upon theuser's social security number. The central processor then gets creditapproval and provides a credit report to the customer servicerepresentative. The regional processor then activates a number for thecellular telephone in the cellular telecommunications network. TheParker patent does not address programming the cellular telephone.

However, as set forth in the Parker patent, a trained customer servicerepresentative must still be involved in gathering informationconcerning the user. Furthermore, a dedicated network must be built andmaintained to interact with the customer service representative.Finally, the customer service representative or a trained technicianmust presumably be engaged to program the cellular telephone foroperation.

Another patent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,403, issued to Sutphin, discussesprogramming certain specific features of a mobile cellular telephonefrom a MTSO. However, the programming of features disclosed in Sutphinis done after the cellular telephone has been activated on the cellulartelecommunications network, and involves only ancillary features tooperation such as repertory memory storage and call-in absenceindicators controlled by software switches in the cellular telephone.

Thus, despite the above cited advances in cellular telephones and theinteractions between the users of cellular telephones and othercomputers, the prior art does not disclose a way of automating theapplication for cellular service, programming of a cellular telephoneand activating of a cellular telephone on a cellular telecommunicationsnetwork.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have an apparatus for automatingapplication for cellular service, the sale and programming of cellulartelephones and, more specifically, for providing the informationnecessary for a customer to use a cellular telephone on a cellulartelecommunications network to a system administrator without assistancefrom a sales representative, a customer service representative or atechnician.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a cellular telephone that facilitates theinitialization and programming necessary for using the cellulartelephone on a cellular telecommunications network. Generally described,the cellular telephone of the present invention interacts with a user toprompt for and accept responses necessary for establishing thecredit-worthiness of a buyer. The information about the user is sent bythe cellular telephone to a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO)where it is relayed to a system administrator who can review theinformation and approve activation of the cellular telephone on thecellular telecommunications network. The user of the cellular telephoneis then provided with the information necessary to program the cellulartelephone for operation on the cellular telecommunications network.

More specifically described, a personal computer memory cardinternational association (PCMCIA) card is provided to the user whopurchases or rents a cellular telephone. The PCMCIA card ispreprogrammed with a series of questions. The PCMCIA card is insertedinto a corresponding PCMCIA slot in the cellular telephone. At start-up,the controller in the cellular telephone reads the questions on thePCMCIA card and displays those questions to the user via the display onthe cellular telephone. The questions concern rate plan options, choiceof a long distance carrier, the personal and financial informationnecessary for a credit check, as well as the terms and conditions of acontract for cellular service. In the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the user responds to the series of questions via apressure-sensitive video screen on the cellular telephone.

In the present invention, a signature capture device is incorporatedinto the pressure-sensitive video screen in the cellular telephone. ThePCMCIA card contains an instruction requesting the user to sign his orher name to indicate approval of a credit check and acceptance of theterms and conditions of a contract for cellular service should theuser's credit be acceptable. The signed name is digitized and storedwith the responses to other questions.

When the user has responded to all questions provided by the PCMCIAcard, instructions are provided by the PCMCIA card on the display forsending the responses to the customer activation center (CAC) via theMTSO servicing that cellular telephone. All cellular telephones candirectly dial and communicate with the provider of cellular services viaa preassigned telephone number if the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork is configure for such operation. Thus, the responses to thequestions are sent via this dedicated number to the provider of cellularservices operating the cellular telecommunications network. Theinformation may either be provided to a personal computer or other dataterminal where it can be displayed, or the information can be providedvia facsimile. The system administrator then performs any neededbackground and credit checks. Typically, cellular telephones have apreassigned electronic serial number (ESN) preprogrammed in read onlymemory (ROM). The ESN uniquely identifies the telephone to the systemadministrator at the customer activation center. In an alternativeembodiment of the present invention, both the cellular telephone and thePCMCIA card provided with the cellular telephone are preprogrammed withthe ESN. The ESN is stored in the PCMCIA card for purposes of activatingthe cellular telephone. The user of the cellular telephone need not lookin a manual provided with the cellular telephone to find the ESN or typein the ESN for transmission to the customer activation center. The ESNis automatically sent to the customer activation center with theresponses to the questions via the MTSO so that the cellular telephonecan be identified and activated in the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork. This prepares the cellular telecommunications network formonitoring and servicing the cellular telephone. Further operations,such as activating billing, are also performed in the customeractivation center.

Once the above operations are complete, the mobile identification number(MIN) is assigned to the cellular telephone and the cellular telephoneis activated in the cellular telecommunications network, anacknowledgement signal is sent by the provider of the cellular servicesvia the MTSO to the user of the cellular telephone. The cellulartelephone and customer activation center remain connected during theactivation procedure via the original call from the cellular telephone.Also, the MIN, which is the telephone number for the cellular telephone,is sent to the cellular telephone by the system administrator via theMTSO. After the cellular telephone receives the acknowledgment signaland MIN number from the MTSO, the PCMCIA card provides the user with aseries of instructions that guide the user through activating thecellular telephone for operation on the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the cellulartelephone has an RJ-11 jack and is connected to the customer activationcenter via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The RJ-11 jackmay be on the PCMCIA card that is inserted in the cellular telephone.

The present invention is a PCMCIA card for use with a cellulartelephone, and comprises a connector for connecting the PCMCIA card tothe cellular telephone, and has preprogrammed questions concerning thename of the user, preprogrammed questions concerning the address of theuser, preprogrammed questions concerning financial information about theuser, preprogrammed information concerning operation of the cellulartelephone, and preprogrammed information concerning programming of thecellular telephone.

The present invention is also a cellular telephone for use in a cellulartelecommunications network of the type having a customer activationcenter, and comprises a memory device containing preprogrammedquestions, a display for providing the questions to a user of thecellular telephone, an input device for accepting responses from theuser to the questions, means for providing the responses to the customeractivation center, means for receiving information from the customeractivation center, and a controller connected to the memory device, theinput device, the display, the means for receiving information and themeans for providing the responses, to control provision of the questionsand the information to the user, acceptance of the responses,transmission of the responses to the customer activation center, and useof the information to program the cellular telephone for operation onthe cellular telecommunications network. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the memory device is a PCMCIA card. In thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, a transmitter andreceiver in the cellular telephone support communication with thecustomer activation center via a MTSO.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present inventionprovides a method for programming a cellular telephone for operation ona cellular telecommunications network of the type having a customeractivation center, and comprises the steps of retrieving questions froma memory device, displaying the questions to a user of the cellulartelephone, accepting responses to the questions from the user, sendingthe responses to the customer activation center using the cellulartelephone, and using the cellular telephone to receive information fromthe customer activation center for programming the cellular telephone tooperate on the cellular telecommunications network.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the cellulartelephone automatically hangs up or instructs the user to hang up aftertransmitting the file containing the responses and signature to thecustomer activation center. Subsequently, and instead of sending anacknowledgement signal to the cellular telephone, a system administratorcalls the user of the cellular telephone. The system administrator callsthe cellular telephone via a preassigned or “dummy” MIN number andorally tells the user the instructions necessary for programming thecellular telephone. The dummy number is a temporary telephone numberthat enables the system administrator to call the new cellulartelephone. The user then keys in the specified numbers, including thenew MIN that is programmed over the dummy number. The dummy MIN numbermay be preprogrammed into the cellular telephone or in the PCMCIA card.This embodiment of the invention requires coordinating the provision ofthe dummy MIN number(s) with manufacturers of cellular telephones sothat the dummy MIN number(s) can be assigned and programmed in thecellular telephones or in the PCMCIA cards during manufacturing.

In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the cellulartelephone has in input/output data port such as a serial port, and isthereby connected to a personal computer via a hard-wire connection. APCMCIA card or a floppy disk is preprogrammed with the questions andinstructions necessary to program and activate operation of the cellulartelephone, as discussed above. The PCMCIA card or floppy disk is read bythe personal computer. The user views the questions on the personalcomputer display and responds to the questions using the keyboardassociated with the personal computer. A signature capture device islocated on the personal computer display, or on the cellular telephonedisplay. The responses to the questions and the user's signature arecommunicated from the personal computer to the customer activationcenter through the cellular telephone and the MTSO, or alternativelythrough the cellular telephone and the PSTN. The personal computer isalso used to program the cellular telephone. Instructions forprogramming the cellular telephone are shown on the display andprogramming data is entered by the user via the keyboard. Thisembodiment of the present invention is a cellular telephone for use in acellular telecommunications network of the type having a customeractivation center and for use with a personal computer which includes amemory device containing preprogrammed questions, and comprises aconnector for connecting the cellular telephone to the personalcomputer, a display for providing the questions to a user of thecellular telephone, an input device for accepting responses from theuser to the questions, means for providing the responses to the customeractivation center, means for receiving information from the customeractivation center, and a controller connected to the personal computer,the input device, the display, the means for receiving information andthe means for providing the responses, to control provision of thequestions and the information to the user, acceptance of the responses,transmission of the responses, to the customer activation center and useof the information to program the cellular telephone for operation onthe cellular telecommunications network.

Alternatively, the present invention is a cellular telephone for use ina cellular telecommunications network of the type having a customeractivation center and for use with a personal computer including adisplay, and comprises a memory device containing preprogrammedquestions, a connector for connecting the cellular telephone to thepersonal computer, an input device for accepting responses from a userto the questions, means for providing the responses to the customeractivation center, means for receiving information from the customeractivation center, and a controller connected to the memory device, theinput device, the personal computer through the connector, the means forreceiving information and the means for providing the responses, tocontrol provision of the questions and the information to a user via thedisplay, acceptance of the responses, transmission of the responses tothe customer activation center, and use of the information to programthe cellular telephone for operation on the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork.

Alternatively, the present invention is a cellular telephone for use ina cellular telecommunications network of the type having a customeractivation center and for use with a personal computer which includes aninput device, and comprises a memory device containing preprogrammedquestions, a display for providing the questions to a user of thecellular telephone, a connector for connecting the cellular telephone tothe personal computer, means for providing the responses to the customeractivation center, means for receiving information from the customeractivation center, and a controller connected to the memory device, thepersonal computer through the connector, the display, the means forreceiving information and the means for providing the responses, tocontrol provision of the questions and the information to the user,acceptance of the responses from the user via the input device,transmission of the responses to the customer activation center, and useof the information to program the cellular telephone for operation onthe cellular telecommunications network.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cellulartelephone that obtains personal and financial information from apurchaser of a cellular telephone without requiring a salesrepresentative or customer service representative to gather informationfrom the purchaser and provide the information to a system administratorin the customer activation center for the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cellulartelephone that transfers personal and financial information from apurchaser of a cellular telephone to a customer activation center.

It is a yet another object of the present invention to facilitateprogramming of a cellular telephone by the user of the cellulartelephone.

That the present invention accomplishes these objects and overcomes theabove cited drawbacks of the prior art will be apparent to those skilledin the art from the detailed description in the preferred embodiment tofollow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the circuitry in the cellular telephone inthe preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a cellular telephone in communication with acustomer activation center via a mobile telephone switching office.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the display and a cut-out of thememory device in the preferred embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a cellular telephone connected to a personalcomputer in an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the program stored in the memory device andexecuted by the cellular telephone in the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Turning next to the figures in which like numerals indicate like parts,the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described.FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the cellular telephone 10 in the preferredembodiment of the present invention. The cellular telephone 10 has anantenna 14, a receiver 16 and a transmitter 18 for communicating with aMobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) 20 (FIG. 2), and a controller50 for controlling the operation of the cellular telephone 10.Controller 50 comprises a microprocessor, a random access memory (RAM),and some type of read only memory (ROM), not shown separately. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that the cellular telephone 10 may beany of a wide variety of wireless personal communication devices,including personal communicators and personal digital assistants whichhave cellular telephone capability.

The receiver 16, transmitter 18, antenna coupler 26 and antenna 14communicate with a MTSO 20 (FIG. 2). Specifically, an audio input 30such as a microphone 32 (FIG. 4) carries voice input from a user througha mute control 34A into transmitter 18. The mute control 34A is anon/off switch used to control when voice provided by the microphone 32is passed to transmitter 18, and is familiar to those skilled in theart. Mute control 34A is controlled by controller 50 via control bus 52.The mute control 34A selectably passes audio input to transmitter 18 vialine 36. The transmitter 18 modulates the voice onto a carrier, in amanner well-known to those skilled in the art, and passes thevoice-modulated signal to the antenna coupler 26 on line 40.

The antenna coupler 26 is a duplexer for full-duplex telephone 10operation, as is well-known to those skilled in the art. Modulatedsignals, such as voice or data, are output from the antenna coupler 26to antenna 14. The mute control 34A, transmitter control 18, antennacoupler 26 and antenna 14 are devices well-known to those skilled in theart. Furthermore, connection of these devices to transmit voice and datasignals is well-known to those skilled in the art.

In addition to the conventional voice signals typically associated withcellular telephones 10, protocols such as cellular digital packet data(CDPD) protocol support the transmission of digital signals from and tocellular telephones. Typically, there are both voice and digital datachannels in such a cellular telecommunications network 24.

With the availability of modems in today's cellular telephone 10 and ofdigital data communications paths, computer files, electronic mail anddigitized data can be sent from, and to, cellular telephone 10.Digitized data intended for transmission from the cellular telephone 10may be received from another computer or device on data input/outputport 82, from device reader 60 or from ROM (not shown) in the cellulartelephone 10. The digitized data is passed from controller 50 totransmitter 18 on line 42. The transmitter 18 modulates the carrier inaccordance with the digitized data for transmission in a mannerwell-known to those skilled in the art. The digitized data is passedfrom transmitter 18 to antenna coupler 26 via line 40, and from coupler26 to antenna 14. Thus, audio and digitized data may both be transmittedfrom the cellular telephone 10 via antenna 14.

The cellular telephone 10 receives modulated signals, such as analogvoice and digitized data signals, on antenna 14. The signals received onantenna 14 are passed through antenna coupler 26 to receiver 16 via line44. Demodulation of the modulated signals is performed in receiver 16.Voice signals are output from receiver 16 to mute control 34B via line46. The controller 50 controls receiver 16 and mute control 34B viacontrol bus 52 to output the received audio signals on audio output line48. A speaker 49 (FIG. 3) receives the signals on audio output line 48.

Digitized data signals are passed on line 53 to controller 50. Thecontroller 50 outputs the digitized data on display out line 54, or todata input/output port 82, or performs other functions with thedigitized data. The receipt, demodulation and processing of voice anddigitized data through receiver 16 are well-known to those skilled inthe art.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of cellular telephone 10 in communication with aMTSO 20. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the MTSO20 is connected via line 25 to a customer activation center 23. As isfamiliar to those skilled in the art, the MTSO 20 tracks and switchescellular telephone 10 as it passes through various cell sites under thecontrol of that MTSO 20. The cell sites contain the transmitters andreceivers that communicate voice and data signals directly to and fromthe cellular telephone 10.

The MTSO 20 controls a finite number of cell sites and therefore has ageographic range for tracking and monitoring cellular telephones, asindicated by the cashed line 22. As long as the cellular telephone 10remains within the range demarcated by the dashed line 22, itcommunicates through the MTSO 20. As is familiar to those skilled in theart, when the cellular telephone 10 is physically located outside therange of the MTSO 20 marked by dashed line 22, another MTSO 20′, havingcontrol over another set of cell sites, tracks and services the cellulartelephone 10. A series of MTSOs, 20, 20′ etc., comprises a cellulartelecommunications network 24.

The components and operating specifications of the MTSO 20 and cellulartelecommunications network 24 can vary, as will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art. For example, the cellular telephone 10 of thepresent invention could operate using the personal communicationservices (PCS) standard promulgated by the Federal CommunicationsCommittee (FCC). In an alternative example, the cellular telephone 10 ofthe present invention could operate using the Specialized Mobile Radio(SMR) network standard or the Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio (ESMR)network standard promulgated by the FCC. The term MTSO 20, as usedherein, incorporates any element or combination of elements that servicewireless communications devices, such as cellular telephone 10.

When a cellular telephone 10 is first purchased it has not beenauthorized to communicate with other telephones. The cellular telephone10 will be able to provide few, if any, functions for the user until ithas been programmed and activated on the cellular telecommunicationsnetwork 24. To perform such a task in accordance with the presentinvention, the user must be provided with instructions and questions,must answer questions, must be able to send the answers or responses tothe MTSO 20 and must program the cellular telephone 10.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention wherein a memory device is connected to a devicereader 60 in the cellular telephone 10. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the memory device is a personal computer memorycard international association (PCMCIA) card 62, familiar to thoseskilled in the art. The PCMCIA card 62 is received in a correspondingslot 64 containing a card connector 60.

When first using the cellular telephone 10, the user inserts PCMCIA card62 into slot 64. The PCMCIA card 62 is preprogrammed with a program 100(FIG. 5) for activating and programming the cellular telephone 10.Controller 50 reads the program 100 and associated data via line 66 andexecutes the program. In the following discussion, refer also to FIG. 5,which is a flow chart of the program 100 stored in the PCMCIA card 62and executed by the cellular telephone 10 in the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.

The program 100 includes a series of questions, choices, or instructionsto be output on display 90 at step 102. The items shown on display 90 inFIG. 3 are exemplary, but are not exhaustive and the actual items are amatter of discretion and government regulation. For example, informationand questions included at step 102 and output on display 90 concern theuser's name and address, a rate plan, custom call features, enhancedservice selections and a long distance carrier.

The PCMCIA card 62 also provides information to the user to guide theuser in responding to the questions shown on display 90. For example, asseen on display 90 in FIG. 3, after the user has selected a rate planthe PCMCIA card 62 and/or controller 50 calculate an estimated monthlybill as shown by box 91. This information is provided for the user basedon the user's responses to questions concerning frequency of use of thecellular telephone 10 and the rate plan chosen. The user can utilizethis information to change responses to the questions on display 90.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user respondsto questions on the display 90 using a stylus 92 applied topressure-sensitive regions 94 that are demarcated by lines on display90. This is shown at step 104 in FIG. 5. Display 90 is a pressuresensitive liquid crystal display such as is set forth in U.S. Pat. No.5,120,906, issued to Protheroe et al., and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,195,133, issued to Kapp et al. Those skilled in the art will recognizethat any of a number of electromagnetic interactive, linear beaminteractive, electrolinear, touch resistive or touch sensitive screensor displays may be utilized in the present invention.

The handwritten responses on display 90 in regions 94 are digitized instep 104 for later transmission to the system administrator. Theresponses are digitized for facsimile transmission, and stored in a filepending facsimile transmission of the responses to the systemadministrator. Alternatively, the handwritten responses may be convertedto text and stored in a file. Handwriting to text converters arefamiliar to those skilled in the art and include the Newton Scripthandwriting recognition software sold with the Newton product by AppleComputer, Inc., the “GO” handwriting recognition software sold with theEO personal communicator manufactured by EO, Inc., and the “PalmPrint”handwriting recognition software sold with the Zoomer, manufactured byTandy Corp.

A signature capture region 96 is also provided on display 90 forpurposes of conducting a credit check. By law a credit check can only beperformed if a person provides a signature of consent. Further, theprovision of cellular services to a user often is under a contract, andthe user's assent to the contract is indicated by his or her signature.The user signs his or her name on display 90 using stylus 92 and thesignature is captured as set forth above and indicated by step 106 inprogram 100. Of course, this signature is not converted to text. Thesignature in the signature capture region 96 is digitized for latertransmission as a facsimile item to the system administrator and storedin a file with the responses. The controller 50 awaits the input of asignature by the user at steps 106 and 108 in program 100 (FIG. 5).

When the user has responded to all the questions provided by PCMCIA card62 on display 90, a “send” icon (not shown) appears on display 90, asset forth at step 110 in FIG. 5. By depressing the “send” icon, the usercauses the telephone 10 to send the responses to the questions and thesignatures in the file to the system administrator via the local MTSO20.

An unprogrammed and not activated cellular telephone 10 cannot, ingeneral, conduct communications. However, in the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, controller 50 is preprogrammed via its ROM orPCMCIA card 62 to allow the user to call the system administrator in thecustomer activation center 23 via the MTSO 20 so as to obtainprogramming and/or authorization. The user calls the customer activationcenter 23 via telephone 10 and a MTSO 20 by dialing a preassignednumber. The preassigned number might be, for example, a toll-free elevendigit long distance number, or a three digit number preceded by anasterisk, such as “*611”, commonly used in many cellulartelecommunications networks 24 for providing information or services tonon-registered users.

All calls to the preassigned number are switched by the MTSO 20 and thepublic switched telephone network (PSTN) 59 to the customer activationcenter 23, which has one or more system administrators for receiving theresponses and signatures, and approving or disapproving access to thecellular telecommunications network 24. Each cellular telephone 10 isuniquely identified in the customer activation center 23 by theelectronic serial number (ESN) that is preprogrammed in the telephone 10and sent to the customer activation center 10. The customer activationcenter 23 includes a computer (not shown), which is a UNIX-basedcomputer in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fileor facsimile containing the digitized responses and signature istransmitted to the customer activation center 23 via the MTSO 20.

The incoming call at the customer activation center 23 is identified asa customer activation request because the preassigned number dialed bytelephone 10 is dedicated to customer activation. Thus, for example, thepreassigned number could connect to a facsimile machine or a computer(not shown) in the customer activation center 23 that would receive andprint or display the user's information. The information would bedirected to a system administrator who would review the information,perform a credit check, assign a MIN to the user, etc.

The responses and signature transmitted from cellular telephone 10 viaMTSO 20 are preferably printed on a facsimile machine in the customeractivation center 23. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with thedigitization of responses and signature necessary for type 3 facsimiletransmissions. The information contained in the facsimile is keyed intothe computer at the customer activation center 23, and used by thesystem administrator in the customer activation center 23 to generate acredit check.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the PCMCIA card62, provided to the user with the cellular telephone 10, is alsopreprogrammed with the unique electronic security number (ESN) that ispreprogrammed in the cellular telephone 10. Because the ESN is providedin the PCMCIA card 62, the user need not find and enter the ESN foractivation of the cellular telephone 10. The ESN is automaticallytransmitted to the system administrator in the customer activationcenter 23 when the user sends the responses via the MTSO 20, as seen atstep 110 in program 100.

Alternatively, to contact the customer activation center 23, the PCMCIAcard 62 may cause the display of an instruction commanding the user toattach a telephone line to the RJ-11 jack 58 in the cellular telephone10 (FIG. 3). Many cellular telephones have an RJ-11 jack 58, or can beconnected to a PCMCIA card 62 that includes an RJ-11 jack 58. Afterconnecting a telephone line to the RJ-11 jack 58, the user is instructedto push the send icon. Thus, the responses and signature arecommunicated to the customer activation center 23 via the publicswitched telephone network (PSTN) 59.

Alternatively, in another embodiment of the present invention, the MINnumber is not preprogrammed in the cellular telephone 10 or in PCMCIAcard 62. In this case, the MIN number is generated at the customeractivation center 23 and sent back to the cellular telephone 10 viaeither the appropriate MTSO 20 or the PSTN 59. In this embodiment, thecellular telephone 10 is preprogrammed with a dummy MIN number. A dummyMIN, along with the preprogrammed ESN, enables the telephone 10 to becalled and/or to call the system administrator. Thus, the user of thecellular telephone 10 can hand up after sending the responses to thecustomer activation center 23 and wait for a call back using the dummyMIN. After a credit check has been performed and the credit-worthinessof the user confirmed, the telephone 10 will be given a unique permanentMIN generated at the customer activation center 23. Those skilled in theart will recognize that other information necessary or desirable indifferent cellular telephones 10 or cellular telecommunications networks24 can be communicated between the customer activation center 23 and theuser of the cellular telephone 10.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, after theresponses and signature are transmitted to the customer activationcenter 23, necessary ministerial functions are performed by the systemadministrator and the support staff. A credit check is conducted, abilling file is opened and, if necessary, the amount of the depositrequired from the user is calculated. If a deposit is required, theamount of the deposit is transmitted to the cellular telephone 10 andshown in display 90. Because the credit card number and expiration datewere already obtained at step 104 in the program 100, the user istypically only asked to provide another signature authorizing the creditpayment.

After the cellular telephone 10 has sent the responses and signature tothe customer activation center 23 it awaits a response. The controller50 awaits the acknowledge signal at step 112 in program 100. After anacknowledge signal is received at step 112, the controller 50 reads thePCMCIA card 62 to obtain and output instructions for programming thecellular telephone 10 on display 90. The programming of cellulartelephone 10 is shown as step 114 in FIG. 5. Programming the cellulartelephone 10 includes inputting a security code sequence to put thetelephone 10 into the programming mode, entering the permanent MINnumber, group identification number, setting a lock code and settingspecialized features (i.e.—hands-free operation). This information isprogrammed in a memory device, such as read only memory, random accessmemory, or electrically programmable read only memory, that is a part ofcontroller 50 in the cellular telephone 10. The information is enteredvia pressure-sensitive display 90 and handwriting to text conversion setforth above or by depressing icons (not shown) on display 90representing numbers.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, after theresponses and signature are provided, the program 100 can causecontroller 50 to hang up or to instruct the user to hang up cellulartelephone 10. The user then receives a message on display 90 statingthat a system administrator will be calling. The system administratorcalls via a preassigned dummy MIN telephone number to discuss theresponses with the user, to give the user a permanent unique MIN and toinstruct the user how to program the cellular telephone. Alternatively,the user may provide a home or work telephone number and the RJ-11 jack(FIG. 3) of telephone 10 could be connected to the PSTN 59 at the numberto await the call back. Those skilled in the art will recognize manyways for the customer activation center 23 to contact the telephone 10via the MTSO 20 or PSTN 59.

Those skilled in the art will recognize several alternative embodimentsto the above-described invention. The PCMCIA card 62 may be replacedwith a floppy disk or other suitable memory device. Of course, thedevice reader 60 (FIG. 1) in the cellular telephone 10 must correspondto the chosen memory device.

Alternatively, the program 100 in the PCMCIA card 62 in the preferredembodiment of the present invention could be programmed into the readonly memory (ROM) chip (not shown) which is considered to be part ofcontroller 50 of the cellular telephone 10. As will be familiar to thoseskilled in the art, the ROM chip is directly accessed by amicroprocessor (not shown), also a part of controller 50, and theinformation contained therein displayed in a manner similar to the useof PCMCIA card 62 set forth above.

Refer now to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a cellular telephone 10connected to a personal computer 80 in another alternative embodiment ofthe present invention. In this alternative embodiment of the presentinvention, the data input/output port 82 of the cellular telephone 10 isconnected to a data input/output port 83 of personal computer 80 viaconnector cable 81. Preferably, ports 82 and 83 are serial data ports.Those skilled in the art will recognize that the personal computer 80and cellular telephone 10 could be connected via a local area network,infrared transmitter/receiver devices, or other means. The personalcomputer 80 is a device familiar to those skilled in the art, and ismanufactured by numerous entities such as International BusinessMachines Corp. and Apple Computers, Inc.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, data input to port 82 is provided tocontroller 50. In this embodiment of the invention, PCMCIA card 62 plugsinto a corresponding PCMCIA card slot (not shown) in personal computer80. Questions and information on PCMCIA card 62 are transferred frompersonal computer 80 to the display 90 on the cellular telephone 10 viaconnector cable 81. The user can then respond to questions andinstructions provided on display 90. The transmission of the responsesand signature to the system administration in the customer activationcenter 23 is performed by any of the methods set forth above. Further,the activation and preprogramming of the cellular telephone 10 isperformed using instructions on display 90, as set forth above. Thisalternative embodiment of the invention is preferred when the cellulartelephone 10 does not have a PCMCIA card connector of the ability todirectly read another type of memory device, such as floppy disk.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the cellular telephone 10may not include a display 90 that allows direct user input using astylus 92 or other device. Some cellular telephones 10 include only anumeric keypad and a few function keys. In such a cellular telephone 10,it is advantageous to use the input means and display provided inconjunction with personal computer 80 to assist in programming cellulartelephone 10.

In this alternative embodiment a display 84, such as a monitor, isassociated with personal computer 80 and is substituted for display 90on cellular telephone 10. Questions and information are read by thepersonal computer 80 from the PCMCIA card 62 and are provided to theuser on display 84. The user responds to questions and information forprogramming the cellular telephone 10 with user input device 86. Userinput device 86 may be incorporated into the display 84 as a touchsensitive screen, as was set forth with regard to display 90 in FIG. 1.Alternatively, the user input device 86 may be a conventional keyboard,or other suitable input mechanism, in conjunction with a signaturecapture device 96.

In view of the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment in itsintended environment, other embodiments of the present invention willsuggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope ofthe present invention is to be limited only by the claims below andequivalents thereof.

1. A memory device for use with a cellular telephone, said cellulartelephone have a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiverdesigned for communicating with a customer activation center (CAC) overa cellular telephone network, said memory device having a connector toadaptively connect inside the cellular telephone, said memory devicestoring preprogrammed information comprising: a dummy mobileidentification number (MIN); a program for causing said cellulartelephone to use said dummy MIN to gain access to said cellulartelephone network and to communicate with the CAC and to use said RFtransmitter to send said dummy MIN to said CAC; and a program forcausing said cellular telephone to use said RF receiver to receive apermanent MIN from said CAC over said cellular telephone network.
 2. Thememory device of claim 1 further storing preprogrammed informationcomprising a program for causing said cellular telephone to store saidpermanent MIN in said cellular telephone.
 3. The memory device of claim1 wherein said memory device comprises a personal computer memory cardinternational association (PCMCIA) card.
 4. A memory device for use witha cellular telephone, said cellular telephone having a radio frequency(RF) transmitter and an RF receiver designed for communicating with acustomer activation center (CAC) over a cellular telephone network, saidmemory device having a connector to adaptively connect inside thecellular telephone, said memory storing preprogrammed informationcomprising: a dummy mobile identification umber (MIN); and a programcausing prompts to be displayed to a user of said cellular telephone. 5.The memory device of claim 4 further storing preprogrammed informationcomprising: a program for causing said cellular telephone to use saiddummy MIN to gain access to said cellular telephone network and to usesaid RF transmitter to send said dummy MIN to said CAC; and a program orcausing said cellular telephone to use said RF receiver to receive apermanent MIN from said CAC over said cellular telephone network.
 6. Thememory device of claim 4 further storing preprogrammed informationcomprising a program for causing said cellular telephone to store saidpermanent MIN in said cellular telephone.
 7. The memory device of claim4 wherein said memory device is a personal computer memory cardinternational association (PCMCIA) card.
 8. A memory device for use witha cellular telephone, said cellular telephone having a radio frequency(RF) transmitter and an RF receiver designed for communicating with acustomer activation center (CAC) over a cellular telephone network, saidmemory device having a connector to adaptively connect inside thecellular telephone, said memory device storing preprogrammed informationcomprising: a dummy mobile identification number (MIN); a program forcausing said cellular telephone to use said dummy MIN and said RFreceiver to gain access to the cellular telephone network and to receivea communication from said CAC; and a program for causing said cellulartelephone to use said RF receiver to receive a permanent MIN from saidCAC over said cellular telephone network.
 9. The memory device of claim8 further storing preprogrammed information comprising a program forcausing said cellular telephone to store said permanent MIN in saidcellular telephone.
 10. The memory device of claim 8 wherein said memorydevice comprises a personal computer memory card internationalassociation (PCMCIA) card.